Hundreds of workers rally against the government at Churchill Square in Edmonton

People from across Alberta take part in a major pension rally organized by the Labour Coalition on Pensions this Sunday, March 2, at Sir Winston Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta on Sunday, March2, 2014. Hundreds of people were bused in from Calgary, Red Deer, and Fort MacMurray. Perry Mah/ Edmonton Sun/ QMI Agency

More than a thousand Albertans braved freezing temperatures Sunday to protest the provincial government's plan to roll back pensions for public sector workers.

﻿The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) organized the rally at Churchill Square, which included a mock Oscar ceremony to voice its displeasure with Premier Alison Redford.

Hours before the actual Academy Awards, the AFL announced it had nominated Redford for Best Actor in a Political Leadership Role for her "two-faced performance on Alberta's political stage."

"Alison Redford has gone too far and working people in this province won't be pushed around," said AFL President Gil McGowan.

He said Redford has broken her election promises to protect public health care and education, and to treat public sector workers with respect.

"Before the last election and during the campaign, she tried to sell herself as a different kind of conservative, a more progressive conservative," McGowan said.

"She's broken her promises on all those fronts, and as a result, the frustration and anger felt among Albertans is starting to build."

Sunday's rally specifically took aim at changes to public sector pension plans announced last week by Finance Minister Doug Horner.

Starting Jan. 1, 2016, early retirement subsidies for Public Service Pension Plan and Local Authorities Pension Plan members will be modified to a 60 and 90 factor, meaning workers must be at least 60 years old and age plus years of service must equal 90 or greater.

Currently, workers aged 55 with 30 years of service or more can retire with full benefits.

Cost of living adjustments for pension benefits will move to a targeted 60% of Alberta inflation, rather than a guaranteed 60%, and the government will place a cap on contribution rates.

The province will legislate the changes to offset what Horner said is a $7.4-billion unfunded liability.

McGowan said any changes to pension plans should be negotiated with workers.

"Despite the premier's promises that she would treat public sector workers with respect, she's slapped them with Bill 46 which strips them of the right to collectively bargain, she slapped them with Bill 45 which takes away their right to free speech, and now she's attacking the pensions that they paid for, all with no good reason," McGowan said.

He said the government should be moving the opposite direction with retirement security, saying the real problem is that 70% of working Albertans have no pension.

"Instead of pulling people down who have pensions, our government should be pulling people up who don't," he said.